The doctrine that the earth is neither the center of the universe nor immovable, but moves even with a daily rotation, is absurd, and both philosophically and theologically false, and at the least an error of faith.
Galileo GalileiNature is relentless and unchangeable, and it is indifferent as to whether its hidden reasons and actions are understandable to man or not.
Galileo GalileiYou cannot teach a person something he does not already know, you can only bring what he does know to his awareness.
Galileo GalileiIf there were as great a scarcity of soil as of jewels or precious metals, there would not be a prince who would not spend a bushel of diamonds and rubies and a cartload of gold just to have enough earth to plant a jasmine in a little pot, or to sow an orange seed and watch it sprout, grow, and produce its handsome leaves, its fragrant flowers, and fine fruit.
Galileo GalileiThey who depend upon manifest observations will philosophize better than those who persist in opinions repugnant to the senses.
Galileo GalileiIn the long run my observations have convinced me that some men, reasoning preposterously, first establish some conclusion in their minds which, either because of its being their own or because of their having received it from some person who has their entire confidence, impresses them so deeply that one finds it impossible ever to get it out of their heads.
Galileo Galilei